The First Rule of Goal Setting (and how I broke it)

A new year. A new start. A chance to sit and wait in expectation of what God will do. I know, I could do that any day but there’s something about the thought of a brand new year that fills me with excitement. That same excited anticipation I feel sitting down to write a new book. I know in my head how I’ll get from the start to the end but it’s those twists and turns I never see coming which bring it to life and show the story’s heart.  

In past years, I’ve spent New Year’s Eve with my journal out writing long reflections on the year that was and prayers and dreams for the next one. Since I’d already done that in various forms and had neither the energy nor the motivation to do it again, I simply wrote down five goals I have for 2018.

Four out of five of them are achievable. Getting this blog back up and running with regular posts is one of them, finishing Alina’s story (the one I’ve been writing and rewriting for most of 2017) is another. They’ll be a huge challenge, I’m not kidding myself there, but I know I can achieve them if I put the effort in.

The fifth – finding a literary agent for my books – I realised even as I wrote it, I might not achieve. I can do the work, send out proposals, put money and time into editing, enter competitions and pray my heart out, but in the end, whether that goal is achieved or not depends on someone else. It’s not a goal I can reach on my own. Which is as frustrating as it is terrifying. The first rule of goal setting is to make them achievable. A stretch, yes, but achievable. This one isn’t.

I can’t do it alone. I can’t make it happen.

But God can.

And that’s why, despite the fear that I might not achieve it, that goal is number one on my list for 2018. Because I know God can. And I’m just crazy enough to believe he will.

Human logic says I’ll never be published. There are so many reasons why. Fortunately, God’s never been big on human logic. He has a great track record of taking nobodies like me and making miracles. And I can’t wait to witness him do it again.  

How about you? How big is your dream? Big enough?